insect droppings?
 

I work with a girl who has a screened-in deck. Her clapboard siding
where the deck meets the house is Cedar, and she has a dusty material
accumulating at the base of her siding on the floor of the screened-in
deck. She sweeps it away, and by the next day, it's back! She wasn't
sure of it's composition, so she brought a sample in to work for me to
examine. To the naked eye, it looks like dark brown sawdust, with
grains not much larger than ground black pepper. Under a 30x
microscope, I can see much of the material is insect parts... legs,
heads, and other ugly stuff. There were also some yellow translucent
balls of something that looks like Amber, some tiny seeds, and
something that might be insect droppings or 'frass'. I was leaning
towards it's origin being powder beetles, but I believe their mess
would not consist of so many insect parts. I am told there is no
evidence of other bugs, no spider webs or anything unusual.
Any thoughts as to what might be the source of this rapid accumulation
of insect carnage?

I have a similar problem. Brown dust drops from my ceiling in June and July
through the tongue and groves.

I had two bug people into look at it. One said it was powderpost beetle and
recommended a very extensive treatment. The second said it didn't even
resemble ppb. I forget what he said it was (it was 5 years ago) but he said
insects were eating rotten wood in my roof from when the roof leaked years
ago. The rotten wood has no strength, so its being eaten didn't matter, and
the bugs wouldn't eat sound wood. He recommended I ignore it, as treatment
wouldn't last, and wasn't necessary.

I hope he was right; the roof hasn't collapsed yet.

I think it's interesting thta you identified the debris microscopically,
and now where is it coming from.
I have a biology degree, though not entomology, so I won't be of much help
here. However, if the question is how it got there, I would think, based on
my understanding of the layout and structure, that whatever infestation she
had or has is likely underneath the siding, and and chitin and other
materials
continue crumbling out. Has she tries hitting the clapboard with a fist (or
whatever) to check for this? I suspect the amber might actually be that,
considering the Cedar.
I looked for a suitable biology site for you, but haven't seen one yet.
I'm curious what others will say about your situation.

Les

"Tom" wrote in message
ups.com...
I work with a girl who has a screened-in deck. Her clapboard siding
where the deck meets the house is Cedar, and she has a dusty material
accumulating at the base of her siding on the floor of the screened-in
deck. She sweeps it away, and by the next day, it's back! She wasn't
sure of it's composition, so she brought a sample in to work for me to
examine. To the naked eye, it looks like dark brown sawdust, with
grains not much larger than ground black pepper. Under a 30x
microscope, I can see much of the material is insect parts... legs,
heads, and other ugly stuff. There were also some yellow translucent
balls of something that looks like Amber, some tiny seeds, and
something that might be insect droppings or 'frass'. I was leaning
towards it's origin being powder beetles, but I believe their mess
would not consist of so many insect parts. I am told there is no
evidence of other bugs, no spider webs or anything unusual.
Any thoughts as to what might be the source of this rapid accumulation
of insect carnage?

Not trying to scare ya, but have you considered termites? I would be calling
a pest control company ASAP and get some one to inspect the home.
If the home was recently purchased, with in a year, call the folks that did
the inspection if termites it will be their dime to fix. At least that is
how it works where I live.

In article . com,
says...
:) I work with a girl who has a screened-in deck. Her clapboard siding
:) where the deck meets the house is Cedar, and she has a dusty material
:) accumulating at the base of her siding on the floor of the screened-in
:) deck. She sweeps it away, and by the next day, it's back! She wasn't
:) sure of it's composition, so she brought a sample in to work for me to
:) examine. To the naked eye, it looks like dark brown sawdust, with
:) grains not much larger than ground black pepper. Under a 30x
:) microscope, I can see much of the material is insect parts... legs,
:) heads, and other ugly stuff. There were also some yellow translucent
:) balls of something that looks like Amber, some tiny seeds, and
:) something that might be insect droppings or 'frass'. I was leaning
:) towards it's origin being powder beetles, but I believe their mess
:) would not consist of so many insect parts. I am told there is no
:) evidence of other bugs, no spider webs or anything unusual.
:) Any thoughts as to what might be the source of this rapid accumulation
:) of insect carnage?
:)
:)
There are a number of ants they may be. If they are carpenter ants, she
need not be pushed into a high priced treatment..they are a nuisance.
--
Lar

to email....get rid of the BUGS

Take a sample to the county agricultural agent.
"Tom" wrote in message
ups.com...
I work with a girl who has a screened-in deck. Her clapboard siding
where the deck meets the house is Cedar, and she has a dusty material
accumulating at the base of her siding on the floor of the screened-in
deck. She sweeps it away, and by the next day, it's back! She wasn't
sure of it's composition, so she brought a sample in to work for me to
examine. To the naked eye, it looks like dark brown sawdust, with
grains not much larger than ground black pepper. Under a 30x
microscope, I can see much of the material is insect parts... legs,
heads, and other ugly stuff. There were also some yellow translucent
balls of something that looks like Amber, some tiny seeds, and
something that might be insect droppings or 'frass'. I was leaning
towards it's origin being powder beetles, but I believe their mess
would not consist of so many insect parts. I am told there is no
evidence of other bugs, no spider webs or anything unusual.
Any thoughts as to what might be the source of this rapid accumulation
of insect carnage?